Dismountable cleaning head for sweeping apparatus

ABSTRACT

A cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus, connected with a connecting part thereof, comprises a cleaning element, made of water-absorbing material and having an elongated sweeping part and a held part attached to a top side thereof, and a base plate, further comprising a lateral wall, formed like an elongated strip, and a counter plate, which together with said lateral wall forms a body with a U-shaped cross-section holding said held part of said cleaning element and has a top side carrying a top element which is fastened to said connecting part, so that said cleaning head is easily installed and replaced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus, particularly to a cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus which is fastened in a way to facilitate mounting and replacing thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a conventional sweeping and wringing apparatus comprises: a cleaning head 1, a squeezing head 2, a main rod 3, a U-shaped wringing rod 4, two connecting rods 5, two transverse bars 56, and two squeezers 57. The cleaning head 1 has a base plate 11 and a cleaning element 12 and is used for sweeping a floor. The squeezing head 2 is placed on an upper side of the cleaning head 1, partly surrounding the cleaning head 1 in the shape of the inverted letter U, and has an upper part, having a fastening hole 21 and two sides with openings 22, and downward extending front and rear parts, each of which have a left arm 23 a and a right arm 24 a further extending downward, enclosing an opening 27. Through holes 25 a, 26 a are bored through the left and right arms 23 a, 24 a, respectively. The main rod 3 is mounted on the fastening hole 21 of the squeezing head 2 and serves as a hold during sweeping. The wringing rod 4 is on two ends thereof hingedly connected with the main rod 3 at a middle section thereof and has an outward-reaching middle section with a grip 41, facilitating pulling up of the wringing rod 4. The two connecting rods 5 are symmetrically disposed along two lateral sides of the main rod 3, having upper ends that are hingedly connected with the wringing rod 4 and lower ends that respectively pass through the openings 22 and are fastened to the base plate 11 of the cleaning head 1. The two connecting rods 5 are moved upward by pulling up of the wringing rod 4, in turn pulling the cleaning head 1 upward. The two transverse bars 56 are respectively mounted on the front and rear parts of the squeezing head 2, each passing through the through holes 25 a, 26 a of the left and right arms 23 a, 24 a. The two squeezers 57 are respectively set on the two transverse bars 56, leaving a gap in between. When the cleaning element 12 enters the gap between the two squeezers 57, water contained therein is squeezed out.

For wringing the cleaning head 1, the user holds the main rod 3 with one hand and, with the other hand holding the grip 41, pushes up the wringing rod 4, so that the two connecting rods 5 pull up the base plate 11, taking along the cleaning element 12. The cleaning element 12, having entered the gap between the two squeezers 57, is compressed, and water contained therein is squeezed out. After the cleaning element 12 has been wrung, the two connecting rods 5 are pushed down to an original position, in turn pushing down the cleaning element 12 to an original position. Repeated pushing up and down of the wringing rod 4 brings about complete wringing of the cleaning element 12.

As shown in FIG. 10, the cleaning element 12 has an elongated shape with a sweeping part 121 and a held part 122 and is made of water-absorbing material. The base plate 11 has a U-shaped cross-section with jagged edges 111 which hold the held part 122 of the cleaning element 12. Several holes 112 are bored into a base of the base plate 11, allowing to fasten the base plate 11 to the two connecting rods 5. The design just described is convenient and widely used, but still has the following shortcomings.

1. Assembly is not convenient. The cleaning had 1 needs to be mounted on the two connecting rods 5, which takes much time.

2. Replacing is not convenient. After some time of usage, the connection between the connecting rods 5 and the cleaning head 1 undergoes corrosion. Since any necessary replacing of the cleaning head 1 has become difficult, the whole sweeping and wringing apparatus is usually thrown away, which is a waste.

3. Furniture is easily damaged. Placing the connecting rods 5 at exterior positions easily results in damaging of furniture during floor sweeping.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus which is easy to mount.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus which is easy to replace.

The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the present invention ia a cleaning head 1 a used in conjunction with a sweeping and wringing apparatus as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, having a main rod 3 a, a U-shaped wringing rod 4 a, a connecting rod 5 a, and a connecting part 6. The cleaning head 1 a of the present invention is fastened to a lower end of the connecting part 6.

The cleaning head 1 a has a cleaning element 8 which is equal to the cleaning element 12 of conventional art. In contrast to conventional art, the cleaning head 1 a has a base plate 7 with a lateral wall 71 and a counter plate 72. The counter plate 72 carries a top plate 74 which allows for easy installing and replacing of the cleaning head 1 a.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, in a first embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning element 12 a is made of water-absorbing material and has an elongated sweeping part 81 and a held part 82 attached to a top side thereof. The base plate 7 is an elongated plate made of hard material and holding the cleaning element 8. The lateral wall 71 is formed like an elongated strip, and the counter plate 72 has an L-shaped cross-section, together with the lateral wall 71 forming a body with an U-shaped cross-section into which the held part 82 of the cleaning element 8 is inserted. Fastening elements 75 fix the held part 82 of the cleaning element 8 to the lateral and counter plates 71, 72 of the base plate 7. The top plate 74 of the base plate 7 is held by the connecting part 6 rather than by two connecting rods, as in conventional art (shown in FIGS. 9 and 10), allowing for easy mounting and replacing of the cleaning head 1 a.

For increased stiffness of the base plate 7, two end plates 76 are set on opposite ends of the counter plate 72.

Furthermore, by having the connecting rod 5 a and the connecting part 6, which hold the base plate 7 of the cleaning head 1 a, accommodated inside the main rod 3 a, a smooth external shape results with no risk of damaging furniture during floor sweeping.

Referring to FIG. 5, the present invention in a second embodiment has a counter plate 72 a to which on a top side a top element 74 a having a depression with a T-shaped cross-section is attached.

Referring to FIG. 6, the present invention in a third embodiment has a counter plate 72 b to which on a top side a top element 74 b carrying a projection is attached. Lateral holes 78 b are bored through the projection, allowing to fasten the connecting part 6 thereon by fastening elements 75 b.

Referring to FIG. 7, the present invention in a fourth embodiment has a counter plate 72 c to which on a top side a top element 74 c with a depression is attached. The depression has side walls through which holes 78 c are bored, allowing to fasten the connecting part 6 on the depression by fastening elements 75 c.

The lateral and counter plates 71, 72 of the base plate 7 are made of metal, plastics or other suitable hard material. The top elements 74, 74 a, 74 b, 74 c are integrated into the counter plate 72 or separate therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention during wringing of the cleaning element.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cleaning head of the present invention when dissassembled.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cleaning head of the present invention in the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cleaning head of the present invention in the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cleaning head of the present invention in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 8 (prior art) is a front view of a conventional sweeping and wringing apparatus.

FIG. 9 (prior art) is a side view of a conventional sweeping and wringing apparatus.

FIG. 10 (prior art) s a perspective view of a conventional cleaning head. 

1. A cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus, connected with a connecting part thereof and comprising: a cleaning element, made of water-absorbing material and having an elongated sweeping part and a held part attached to a top side thereof; and a base plate, further comprising a lateral wall, formed like an elongated strip, and a counter plate, which together with said lateral wall forms a body with a U-shaped cross-section holding said held part of said cleaning element and has a top side carrying a top element which is fastened to said connecting part, so that said cleaning head is easily installed and replaced.
 2. The cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said top element of said base plate has a T-shaped cross-section.
 3. The cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said counter plate on said top side thereof carries a top element having a depression with a T-shaped cross-section.
 4. The cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said counter plate on said top side thereof carries a top element having a projection through which a plurality of lateral holes are bored.
 5. The cleaning head for a sweeping and wringing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said counter plate on said top side thereof carries a top element having a depression with side walls through which a plurality of holes are bored. 